Individuals with ADHD typically experience significant difficulties delaying gratification due to deficits in executive functioning, which impair self-control and make resisting immediate rewards in favor of long-term benefits challenging.
Einarsson, S. B., Sigurðsson, B. H., Kjartansdóttir, S. H., Magnússon, P., & Sigurðsson, J. F. (2024). Impulsive Buying and Deferment of Gratification Among Adults With ADHD. Clinical Psychology in Europe, 6(3), e9339. https://doi.org/10.32872/cpe.9339
Key Points
- Adults with ADHD show significantly higher impulsive buying tendencies and a lower ability to defer gratification compared to individuals without ADHD.
- Deferment of gratification mediates the relationship between ADHD symptoms and impulsive buying.
- Therapeutic interventions enhancing the ability to defer gratification could mitigate impulsive spending behaviors among adults with ADHD.
- Future research should investigate impulsive buying in digital contexts among individuals with ADHD due to increased accessibility of online shopping.
Rationale
ADHD is characterized by impulsivity, which involves rapid, unplanned decisions without consideration for long-term consequences.
Previous studies demonstrate that adults with ADHD experience significant financial difficulties, characterized by impulsivity in financial management such as spending decisions, debt accumulation, and reduced financial planning capabilities.
Impulsive buying specifically, defined as a sudden and irresistible urge to make purchases without prior planning, has been associated with poor executive functioning skills, including deficits in planning, decision-making, and inhibitory control.
Deferment of gratification, an essential element of self-control, negatively correlates with impulsive buying tendencies, suggesting that individuals with better delay of gratification skills are less likely to make impulsive purchases.
However, the specific relationship between ADHD symptoms, impulsive buying, and deferment of gratification had not been directly studied before, highlighting a critical gap.
This research bridges this gap, providing crucial insights that can guide effective financial management interventions for individuals with ADHD.
Future directions might focus on digital buying contexts, where impulsivity could be heightened due to easier access to products.
Method
The study employed a cross-sectional design using standardized questionnaires to assess impulsive buying, deferment of gratification, and ADHD symptoms among adults with ADHD and a comparison group of non-ADHD university students.
Procedure
- Adults with ADHD were recruited via email and social media through the Icelandic ADHD organization.
- University students without ADHD served as the control group and completed questionnaires in-person during class.
- Participation was anonymous, voluntary, and informed consent was implied through survey completion.
- Ethical approval was obtained from Reykjavik University and the Icelandic Bioethics Committee.
Sample
- Total participants: 346 (ADHD group: n=225; control group: n=121).
- ADHD group: Mean age 35.7 years, predominantly female (72%), most were employed or studying, and primarily diagnosed through private practice clinicians.
- Non-ADHD group: Mean age 24.6 years, predominantly female (68%), all participants were actively enrolled university students.
Measures
- Buying Impulsiveness Scale (BIS): Assessed frequency and intensity of impulsive buying behaviors using a 9-item self-report scale.
- Deferment of Gratification Questionnaire (DOGQ): Measured ability to postpone immediate financial rewards in favor of future benefits through a 12-item scale.
- Adult ADHD Rating Scale—IV (ADHD-RS): Evaluated severity of ADHD symptoms based on self-reported frequency over the past six months.
- Background Information Questionnaire: Collected demographic data, educational status, employment details, and ADHD diagnostic history.
Statistical Measures
Analyses included descriptive statistics, independent t-tests for group comparisons, and mediation analyses utilizing Hayes’s PROCESS macro to determine the mediating role of gratification deferment in impulsive buying linked to ADHD symptoms.
Results
- Adults with ADHD showed significantly greater impulsive buying compared to controls (ADHD mean = 30.78, non-ADHD mean = 19.57).
- ADHD participants had markedly lower scores indicating poorer deferment of gratification compared to controls (ADHD mean = 38.21, non-ADHD mean = 58.03).
- A strong mediational effect of deferment of gratification between ADHD symptoms and impulsive buying behaviors was identified, significantly reducing the direct relationship between ADHD and impulsive buying to non-significance when accounted for.
Insight
The study provides critical insights into the role of gratification deferment as a key psychological mechanism connecting ADHD to impulsive buying behaviors.
It highlights the importance of executive function deficits, notably self-control issues, contributing significantly to real-world financial behaviors.
This extends existing research on ADHD’s financial implications, underscoring specific targets for therapeutic interventions.
Given the current growth of e-commerce, future research could beneficially examine impulsive buying behaviors specifically within digital marketplaces.
Implications
Practitioners should incorporate specific training to enhance gratification deferment into ADHD management programs, potentially reducing impulsive spending and improving overall financial health.
Policymakers might consider supporting educational initiatives to develop financial self-regulation skills among populations diagnosed with ADHD.
While these interventions could significantly benefit financial stability, they must accommodate the executive functioning challenges inherent in ADHD, possibly requiring ongoing support and tailored strategies.
Strengths
This study had several methodological strengths, including:
- Robust sample size enhancing the reliability of findings.
- Use of validated and reliable measurement tools.
- The study fills a notable research gap by explicitly examining impulsive buying in the context of ADHD.
Limitations
Tis study also had several limitations, including:
- Reliance on self-reported ADHD diagnoses without clinical validation.
- Significant demographic differences between groups, potentially affecting comparability.
- Cross-sectional methodology precludes establishing causal relationships.
Socratic Questions
- How could demographic differences between groups influence findings on impulsivity and financial behaviors?
- What alternative factors might influence impulsive buying, beyond gratification deferment?
- How might impulsive buying behaviors differ between online and physical shopping environments?
- Could similar mediation patterns emerge in other forms of impulsivity or behavioral disorders?
- What are potential challenges in implementing gratification deferment training in clinical practice?
- How might these findings be generalized to populations without ADHD?
- What might be the ethical considerations in interventions aimed specifically at controlling impulsive financial behaviors?
